blog love: catalog living.

I was thinking of waiting until Friday to share with you a site I discovered on the weekend (via Young House Love) as it does not quite fit the theme of this weeks posts, but I just couldn't wait. The site is Catalog Living and it is updated and maintained by Molly Erdman, a Los Angeles-based actor, writer, and comedian. Started just a few weeks ago, Molly imagines the lives of the people (Gary and Elaine) who live inside catalogues such as Pottery Barn's, West Elm's, Williams-Sonoma's, and other furniture/living companies'.

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She definitely has an eye for the comedic and odd items inside the 'finished' catalogue photos. Hope you enjoy reading through this new site as much as I do.

tsol by shad.

There was a time during high-school when I really liked hip-hop. Maybe it was just because my friends did or maybe it was because my ears were younger and my mind liked/could handle the loud beats. I don't really listen to it now because the content in most hip-hop/rap is not something I want to fill my mind with and not a lifestyle I want to emulate. (At this point in my life, I'm more readily drawn to something like Sleeping at Last or Bon Iver.) However, when it comes to Shad and his new rap album TSOL (on iTunes or find it at HMV in the 'urban' section), I can't stop listening to it. In fact, I like the entire album so much I don't think I can even pick a favourite song. To paraphrase Brian Reagan, 'they're all favourites.'

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Shad is an amazing lyricist. I'm always left feeling challenged by one lyric or another to evaluate my life and how I'm living. This isn't mindless rap. Shad's lyrics are clever, are flavoured with irony, and are always thought provoking. Every time I listen, something new catches my attention.

I feel like I really get to know Shad as a person and that we could be friends. I think one of the things I most appreciate about this album is the place of humility that it comes from. Throughout the entire album you can hear the obvious talent Shad has and yet he constantly announces that being a rap artist is a blessing and something he didn't quite expect to happen. It is refreshing to see those roots so clearly.

This album is pleasing to the ears, the mind, and even the soul. I hope you pick up a copy today and let your own mind be wowed.

Want more Shad? Check out his blog here, his MySpace here and Facebook here, and articles from the Toronto Star here and here.

friendly music.

I want to continue on the thread of awesome-music-made-by-people-we-know from yesterday.

This first video is made by my old camp friend's husband Mike. The entire song - Firefly by Owl City - is composed using just his voice, mouth, and drinking glasses. He is amazing and this video will surely blow you away.

And if your head has not completely exploded yet at his amazing talent and ability to put together such complex sounding music, check out his cover of Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus.

As well, I need to mention that Shad is coming out with a new album on May 25. He is a super talented hip hop artist from Canada who does not spend time rapping about money, sex, and power - but issues that are real while using witty lyrics and impeccable rhythm. You can get his new single before the album comes out here and see all of his work here.

Below is one of his music videos - one of my favourite music videos of all time.

Update June 24: Mike was recently on Canada AM. Check out the video here. Also, Shad's album is out and it is great!

the city harmonic.

Last Saturday Caleb and I went to the CD release concert for The City Harmonic. Self described as 'what happens when you mix nostalgic hymns, brit-rock and that sing-at-the-campfire feeling,' The City Harmonic is simply amazing.

This was their first concert and they sure rocked it. They sang through their entire EP and were fresh, fun, and full of talent.
And boy, was it loud! The bass sometimes shook the entire room, it felt like the music was coming from inside you instead of at you. The audience was really excited. Lots of friends and family were there to support them (even Caleb's grandma and grandpa!). It was a really fun time.
The band is made up of Elias Dummer, Eric Fusilier, Aaron Powell, and Josh Vanderlaan. It was great seeing our friends/family in the band do such a great job at their first concert as The City Harmonic.
The City Harmonic has enormous amounts of talent and it is fun listening to their EP and watching them in concert. I hope that you have an opportunity to hear them sometime soon.

Want to experience more from The City Harmonic? Watch the creation of their EP, join their Facebook Group, or follow them on Twitter.

it's raining (cats) and dogs.

With springtime comes rain. Although it isn't raining here today I just had to share with you these photos of Twig & Thistle blogger Kathleen's dog Tula. Isn't she just adorable?

When I was younger and our dog Shadow was just a puppy he used to wear a little red and blue sweater outside in the winter... that is until my dad told him that he looked ridiculous one day and Shadow refused to ever put it on again.

Hope these pictures satiate your cuteness-meter for the day.

(500) days of summer.

This past week Caleb and I watched (500) Days of Summer starring Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. We really enjoyed it. Set in LA, the movie chronicles Tom Hansen (Gordon-Levitt) as he falls in love with Summer Finn (Deschanel). It is the perfect blend of indie style and mainstream story telling. I loved the costuming, wallpaper, and setting. A wonderful movie to watch.

He believes in true love like in all the pop songs and she, well, doesn't. The story is super cute and doesn't end quite like you'd expect.

Hope you have a fun time watching it.

bright star.

This afternoon I watched the movie Bright Star. Written and directed by Jane Campion, Bright Star shares the love story between Fanny Brawne and nineteenth-century poet John Keats.

Everything about this movie is beautiful. The setting - the London countryside - is resplendent in every season. The costume is period appropriate and the use of colours and attention to detail is wonderful. The music is just right - strings and some vocals. Of course the actual story is magnificent as well - even more so because it is true. Overall, for about two hours you feel captivated and fully involved in a story, a mark of success for a film.

I highly recommend it. And, if you read poetry, like I've been trying to do recently, pick up a book of Keats' work. It is romantic and sweet and lovely all at once.

See, for instance, this excerpt from his poem Isabella; or, The Pot of Basil

And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun,

And she forgot the blue above the trees,

And she forgot the dells where waters run,

And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze;

She had no knowledge when the day was done,

And the new morn she saw not: but in peace

Hung over her sweet Basil evermore,

And moisten'd it with tears unto the core.

carnival.

This weekend the carnival game to our town. So on Friday night we thought it would be fun to go and get some snacks and go on a ride.

We decided to opt out of the ride part though because it was going to cost nearly $10 for one ride on the ferris wheel and it was really cold out so we couldn't justify it (plus, $10 for a ride on a small ferris wheel?!). Instead we bought a big bag of cotton candy and some popcorn, walked home and watched Spider Man 2. It was a great start to the weekend.

high five.

Today, apparently, is National High Five Day. This past Sunday, The Globe and Mail shared with its readers tips on how to perfect five different types of high fives, so today I thought I'd share with you these illustrations by Dakshana Bascaramurty for your own celebration of National High Five Day.

The Globe also includes a note cautioning against the fist bump, "*And don't do this: Fist bump (unless you work in the Oval Office or have a communicable disease)."

Hope you have fun high-fiving your way around town today.

stop motion 2.

Today I want to start off the week with a little stop motion. If you recall, I love stop motion. On the weekend Caleb and I did end up watching Fantastic Mr. Fox.

This movie is beautiful. It felt a little too indie at some points for us, but overall, we really enjoyed watching it. The colours in the background and a lot of the costumes are beautiful burnt oranges, amber, and golden yellows. The attention to detail in the filming is magnificent. This movie truly is a wonderful piece of art.

Since February, I've seen even more commercials and videos filmed using stop motion cameras. Then last week I saw this stunner on the Urban Outfitters site.

It is a video camera made by LEGO that films in either live action or stop motion. All you need are a couple of AA batteries and you're ready to start filming. How much fun is that?! The do-it-yourself-er in me is so excited that anyone could make their own stop motion videos (with such a unique looking camera at that).

Last week I didn't get to continue showing different paper projects that I've found and admire. First I was sick and then Caleb was sick so the week didn't turn out quite like we expected. So, I promise that soon I will continue sharing my love of all things paper with you.

stop motion.

When I was young, I really enjoyed the stop motion animation of Wallace and Gromit after receiving three of their videos from my aunt. The amount of time and energy it must take to make a stop-motion video that flows nicely - it must involve hours of work and lots of dedication (not to mention attention to detail).

I think I enjoy really well done stop-motion because it displays the well-honed ability of someone to acknowledge and take note of everything that is happening in their environment during a single second and translate that to a single frame; and then tie it to the frame before and after.

My sister Danika showed me this video by Oren Lavie a few months ago, and maybe you've seen it, but I love the stop motion filming of it.

Since then I've also discovered another short stop-motion film directed by photographer Angela Kohler.

Isn't it beautiful? I particulary like the part when she's in the water with the whale and the ship.

Another stop-motion film (a little longer this time) is Fantastic Mr. Fox. As an avid Roald Dahl reader growing up, I think that Caleb and I will have to rent this or borrow it from the library sometime soon. Not only does Wes Anderson use stop-motion animation but it sounds witty (and had George Clooney in it... at least his voice anyway).

Is there any particular animation technique that you really liked growing up and don't see too often anymore? Or that you have learned to appreciate over the years? Have you ever tried making a stop-motion short film? Or do you have a favourite stop-motion film that I haven't linked to? I've been intrigued by stop-motion for a while and have wanted to attempt one of my own. We'll see if that turns into anything. These videos inspire me.